The Best Weekend

 January ended with an amazing weekend with one of my best friends (and a new best friend for Orelia).

Orelia and Arianna have only met on two visits prior to this one, but they were two peas in a pod from the second Arianna stepped off the airplane.  

The weekend started with Orelia ducking out of school early to head to the airport to pick up our friends.  We immediately went to a giant indoor play place since I wanted to start the visit off with a bang. The girls had a blast, obviously, and then enjoyed the first of three "sleepovers" together in Orelia's room.

Orelia not only took to Arianna like a fish to water, but she also become as attached to Anika as I am.  Every time I tried to take a photo of Anika and Arianna together, Orelia insisted she hop in the photo too.

 It was a gorgeous weekend and we brought our guests to our favorite park at the top of San Francisco (where we also took them last visit).

It was so funny to see the girls play in the same place they did over a year ago - they sure have changed a lot.

 Orelia's mood, as always varied from serious to

 Exuberant.

 Photos of Orelia swinging are a thousand times more fun now that she can pump herself.

 This park really does have the best views of any park we have visited.

 Here is Orelia and her second mommy again.  She uttered the words "I wish Anika was my mommy" on multiple occasions.

 But at least she was willing to take some photos with me too.

 Anika is a great photographer and took some photos of me and Orelia while Bennett was napping one day.

 I used to have so many photos of both Orelia and Bennett in my arms or John's arms, but now the kids are always running off on their own and the parents are never in the shot.

 I still don't have any photos of John and the kids, but at least Anika got some great mommy daughter pictures.

Later that weekend all drove up to the Bay Area Discovery Museum in Sausalito for some fun.

 Both my kids love this place, and Arianna felt the same.

Orelia and Arianna loved exploring every nook and cranny of the place together. 

  Bennett, naturally, loved doing some construction work.

There is a water play area, and Bennett donned his sister's sunglasses and had a bit of a mad scientist look going for awhile.

 Orelia and I were so, so sad to say goodbye to our best friends, but it was an amazing visit and we can't wait to see them again soon!  It is so fun to see how one of my best friends has a kid who seems like such a perfect match for my own.  What a blessing!